Venice Special Commissioner Denies Reports of Wheeled Luggage Ban

Following a series of head-scratching reports by several media outlets last week, the city of Venice is out to set the record straight on how it feels about wheeled suitcases on its cobblestone streets.

It was originally reported that the city council agreed to ban wheeled luggage beginning in May 2015 and was planning to fine only tourists who violated the ban as much as €500 or $620.

However, the city's special commissioner Vittorio Zappalorto denied such a ban in a statement released on Friday, per The Local:

"I want to deny with the greatest firmness that the city of Venice has ever considered banning wheeled suitcases."

"Certainly the rigid wheels contribute to damaging the alleys, piazzas and particularly the bridges due to the continual battering caused by lifting them up and down. But that does not mean to say that the council will ban their use," Zappalorto added.

The proposal currently being discussed by the city council pertains to commercial trolleys that cause "noise pollution" as they roll through the streets.

With more than 20 million visitors annually and a great deal of history to offer, Venice faces unique challenges when it comes to promoting tourism. Last year, the Italian government announced that it would limit large cruise ship traffic in the Venitian lagoon.

Residents of the popular destination have been joined by environmentalists in protesting for preservation in recent years and have clearly put pressure on the city's leaders to address these issues.

But for now it appears that tourists eyeing a trip to Venice in 2015 won't have to worry about getting caught rolling their luggage through the city's streets.

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